(This write up appeared in 'The Friday Times' Lahore in three parts, on 17, 24 and 31 January 2014. The author (that's me) consider it needs to be read as one whole. So, has taken the liberty to share the whole write up in one go)
There is no insurgency in FATA – I - 17 Jan 2014
There is no insurgency in FATA – I - 17 Jan 2014
There is no insurgency in FATA – III - 31 Jan 2014There is No Insurgency in FATA
Prof. Ijaz Khan
Dept of International Relations
University of Peshawar
There is a continuous talk of an insurgency in FATA and the need to
Counter Insurgency (COIN) action there since at least 2003-4. In 2004, Pakistan Army
moved into FATA for COIN operations.
Experts and others interested have strong opinion about how to end
insurgency in FATA restore ‘writ of the State’ there.
One plans and acts according to
the problem or challenge one is facing. Like a doctor can only prescribe
correct medicine if s/he diagnoses the disease correctly, decision makers must
first correctly identify the problem, its level, intensity and location, assess
their own capabilities and take a decision accordingly. The debate revolves
around a situation in FATA and more specifically in the two agencies, North and
South Waziristan. That situation is termed as insurgency and experts and others
interested give opinion on how to deal with it, suggesting various counter
insurgency policies and actions. The contention of this scribe is the situation
in Waziristan and rest of FATA is not that of insurgency. This mistake in
identifying the situation has resulted in counterproductive policies and
actions.
Insurgency is a stage of taking
of arms by a group of people against an established Government / State with a
purpose of forcefully capturing the government or seceding from the state. It
is a stage of advanced level of rebellion that has not reached the stage of
Civil War yet. A rebellion is the initial taking up of arms by a group of
individuals without much popular support or strength to control any territory
and without any legitimacy. Insurgency is a step forward with some support
among people and some limited control of territory. Both these stages are within
the domestic jurisdiction of the given state. Civil war is the highest stage
when the group challenging the established authority has almost equal power and
exercises governmental authority is more control over a portion of territory.
This stage may justify international intervention and thus the conflict becomes
an international armed conflict.
There is another type of violent
situation, when a territory of one party to a conflict falls in the hands of
another, and is in its effective control. Such territory is referred to as
enemy occupied territory. In the enemy occupied territory the armed conflict
may be between those from the local population taking up arms against foreign
occupiers, and the occupation forces suppressing them. The taking up of arms by
the locals is referred to as resistance movement. In such situation the regular
forces of the party to which this territory belonged legitimately can and
normally will support the local resistance as well as take action against the
occupation forces to re claim its territory. On the other hand the occupation
forces will do all it can to end the resistance and protect its occupation.
Now let us see what is happening
in FATA, as the different types of conflict require different strategies and
actions. FATA is Pakistani territory with a special status, administered
through Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR)(made in 1901 with minor amendments in
2012) aimed at securing government property there and denial of its use as safe
haven by fugitives from the settled areas. FCR provides for a system of
collective responsibility, which simply means the whole tribe is held
responsible on whose territory a violation of FCR takes place. The tribal
people are expected to hand over / take action against any wanted persons
taking refuge on their territory. For violations the whole tribe is punished
through confiscation and / or destruction of property and arrest of elders,
without any judicial overview. Check. The system worked well for a long time.
However, the socio economic changes taking place had gradually eroded the basis
of Pashtun tribal traditions on which the system was erected. By 2001, it had
become an ungoverned territory and just the appearance of the system remained,
in short an administrative vacuum. After 2001, when the Taliban government was
overthrown in Afghanistan, the Afghan Taliban and terrorist groups from around
the world for whom Afghanistan had become a safe haven, found FATA, for a
variety of reasons, a convenient space for refuge and taking action inside
Afghanistan. These groups filling the existing vacuum were able to get some
limited support due to ethnic, religious and economic considerations.
The international forces in
Afghanistan soon realized this abuse of FATA as a major hurdle in their success
in Afghanistan. On their, specially US demands, Pakistan decided to send in
Army in 2004, which started clashes between the outsiders, their local
collaborators and the Pakistan Army, gradually leading to the emergence of
Tehrik–e–Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The
main function of TTP was and is to protect the use of FATA as safe haven for
global terrorists, more specifically for all those acting inside Afghanistan. For
that purpose, TTP has gradually filled the vacuum created by the collapse of
the erstwhile administrative system, replacing the State and the tribal elder.
However, the clashes there led Pakistani State, its Military, experts and the
general public starting talking of an insurgency in FATA and debated the best
possible method for counter insurgency.
When the situation was identified
as insurgency, the strategy, plans and / or actions were educated by Counter
Insurgency (COIN) considerations. The matter was further confused by Pakistan’s
security policy that focuses on India, finds religious extremists as good tools
of policy, determining choice of friends, solutions and approach to
Afghanistan. This context led to a policy of separating those fighting in
Afghanistan or supporting them from those active inside Pakistan, hence the
policy of ‘Good and Bad Taliban’.
Pakistani State has followed a
COIN policy towards the groups’ active inside Pakistan. COIN strategy normally
has both military and non military parts. Both aim to isolate and gradually
eliminate the insurgents. Military
action in addition to targeting the active insurgents and reclaiming territory
from insurgent control and/or influence also makes siding with the insurgents a
bad bargain for the general public / potential insurgent recruits. The non
military component popularly referred to ‘Winning Hearts and Minds’ (WHAM) aims
to win the support of the general public, isolate the insurgents and also
reduces / eliminates the attraction of insurgent recruitment and sympathy for
them.
Pakistan’s COIN policy relies on
the use of selective use of force against selective terrorist targets, mostly
reacting when attacked, making Civilians take up arms against Terrorists under
the collective responsibility system and a policy of deals with different
groups. The WHAM part is also there and can be seen in the shape of Army
engaged in various developmental activities that includes construction of
roads, schools, water supply schemes etc. This policy follows the understanding
that there is no relationship between those active inside Afghanistan and those
inside Pakistan. The state and many others also consider there is a widespread
support to the terrorists inside FATA.
In fact, the clashes in FATA were
not insurgency in the standard understanding of the term. The people of FATA or
any group of them has not take up arms against the authority of the state. The
situation in FATA is closer to a territory under enemy occupation, the occupier
being a collection of non-state force. Outsiders who include Arabs, Chechen,
Uzbeks, Afghan Taliban and a number of Pakistani extremist religious elements
mostly from South Punjab, with some from other parts too, have found FATA a
good safe haven. The clashes between State forces and some of the armed groups,
most grouped in the loose alliance of TTP, are more for the protection of these
outsiders. These outsiders are mostly active in Afghanistan as well as
elsewhere, even in a friendly country like China.
Pakistani forces using the
outdated system of collective responsibility which is irrelevant to the current
conflict and the socio economic situation in FATA, takes action against the
tribe and its property for failing to stop any action against State that may
have used that tribe’s territory results in situations like the tragic
happenings of Mir Ali. In Mir Ali the State shelled the town of Mir Ali and
also destroyed its Bazaar as punishment under collective responsibility rather
than as action against terrorists. Such actions does not harm the terrorists,
rather alienates the population. This also feeds the mistrust in the Pakistani
State among the people. The policy of selective and reactionary actions also
feeds the popular belief of collusion between the State and the
terrorists. Those who can are leaving
FATA towards different settled areas of the country becoming IDPs as they feel
they cannot fight both the terrorists and the State.
The terrorists in a well thought
out strategy give the appearance of a split between those whose interests are
focused in Afghanistan and those who act inside Pakistan. In fact those acting
inside Pakistan have kept the Pakistani forces engaged, thus providing a
respite to those active inside Afghanistan. This also makes Pakistani state believe it is
taking advantage of the split between the Terrorists. This policy, referred to as a policy of ‘Good
and Bad Taliban’ also fits well in the perceptions of the mindset that
considers Afghan Taliban as Pakistan’s best bet in Afghanistan, besides being a
result of a mistaken reading of the situation.
The suspicions and mistrust of
the people makes the WHAM actions of the State ineffective. The State as well
as most others looks towards the nonexistent traditional Malik to reach out to
the people. Political Parties which are
main vehicle of connecting people with each other as well as with the State,
though permitted to operate are still weak to assert themselves and are also
not considered of much relevance by the State. There is a disconnect between
the people of FATA and the State, which worsens the situation, alienates the
people and leads to State policies and actions which are not based on ground
realities.
Pakistan’s policy and action,
Military, Administrative or political are based on mistaken reading of the
situation in FATA. It needs to be
understood that the people of FATA has not risen in any sort of revolt or
insurgency. It is a territory under the effective occupation or if the word is
too strong then effective control of forces inimical to the State and society
of Pakistan which includes FATA. Therefore, the aim of policy and action should
be to free a part of the territory of Pakistan known as FATA from illegitimate
occupiers / controllers. These forces are a mix from outside Pakistan as well
as inside it. The challenge in FATA is part of the challenge of terrorism and
extremism present all over Pakistan. The object of policy and action has to be
denial of the use of FATA space to these forces. Punishing people for being
unable to fight these occupants is bad policy. Military action cannot succeed
if it does not differentiate between Civilians and the Occupiers and if it continues
to differentiate between Good and Bad Taliban. It is also vital to educate the
security personnel that their job, especially in territory under their control
is not securing an occupied enemy territory but securing a freed territory; the
people of these territories are your people, not civilians of an enemy
territory under your occupation. Reports from Swat as well as FATA shows
Pakistani armed forces are behaving like an Army of occupation or at least the
citizens of Pakistan from there (FATA) view it as such.
Negotiations with the opposite
party in a war are not abnormal. However, that yields results when the ground
situation demands it. You negotiate with the enemy when you want to either
surrender or respond to the request from the other side that is ready for
surrender. The opposite party is not the people of FATA, so suggestions of Jirgas
or other such means traditionally used to resolve issues with the people of FATA, are not relevant.
Political solution does not mean
negotiations with the occupiers but engaging the people in such a way that
denies political space to the terrorists. Political party structures from
within FATA and elected parliamentarians needs to be part of all deliberations supplanting
and gradually replacing the Malik. The policy that aims at the impossible of
reviving traditions and reversing social change to re create the changed tribal
system, the basis of FCR has to go. It is not the question of whether that
system was good or bad; it is a simple of socio economic evolution and
accepting the irreversibility of such evolution. The people of FATA should own
developmental policies and they should not be a type of bribe a foreign
occupant gives to the people.
To conclude, the problem in FATA
is one of the many manifestations of the problem with the State of Pakistan. The
mistake in identification of the problem in FATA is a consequence of uneven and
undemocratic basis and development of the State and Society of Pakistan. The
corrective measures must start from correcting the relations between Islamabad
and Rawalpindi and between the provinces and Islamabad. The
self styled saviors of Pakistan must understand, the responsibility to save it
lies squarely with the all the peoples inhabiting all the territories with all
their diversities, not with the self-chosen few in sitting pretty in the
corridors of power.
http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/author/prof-ijaz-khan/
http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/author/prof-ijaz-khan/
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